North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has asked President Akufo-Addo to immediately stop plans to deploy Ghanian soldiers to Niger as part of an ECOWAS standby force. 

According to Mr Ablakwa, the move will not be in the best interest of the country. 

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, in a Facebook post on Sunday, August 13, warned of dire consequences should President Akufo-Addo remain intransigent on this issue. 

"I reiterate our demand on President Akufo-Addo to immediately stop all his preparatory mobilisation towards deploying Ghanaian soldiers for an ECOWAS military intervention in Niger.”

“Akufo-Addo’s refusal to submit his Niger Policy to Parliament for thorough scrutiny by the people’s elected representatives is most undemocratic and awfully reckless.”

The former Deputy Education Minister also advised ECOWAS to use diplomatic channels in resolving the crisis in Niger. 

“West African leaders who purport to be lecturing Niger on democracy must be seen leading by example at home.”

West African nations have approved an armed intervention in Niger “as soon as possible”, the Ivory Coast president says, following a meeting to discuss the coup.

At the meeting, leaders of the Ecowas regional bloc said they had agreed to deploy a “standby” military force.

However, they have not given any details of the size of the force.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu said the use of force would be a “last resort.”

A military junta seized power in Niger on July 26.

After the Ecowas meeting, Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara said Ecowas had intervened in African countries in order to restore constitutional order before.

“Today, we have a similar situation in Niger, and I like to say that Ecowas cannot accept this,” he said.

Mr Ouattara said the Ivory Coast would provide a battalion of 850 to 1,100 men, and said soldiers from Nigeria and Benin would also be deployed.